Automatic train-pipe connecter



July 24, 1928.

' 1,677,902 J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN RIPE cemw'bwn Filed Oct. 18. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 24, 1928.

J. ROBINSON I AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE cormzcwsn Filed Oct. 18, 1921 2 Shqets-Sheet 2 patented July 24, 1928 I r N v i U NIT ED ATES P ENT FICE JOSEPH ROBINSON, or nonnrs'nown, mew messy. AUTOMATIC T AIN-PIPE CONNECTER. Application fil'ed was, is, 1921. serial no. 508,588.

The invention hereof involves improveaboven'oted", reliance'being had in the prior ments in what are commonly'known as train art on the use of such heavy complicated and pipeconnecters for railway cars, and espeexpensive constructions of gathering devices cially the class of connectors known as the for the connecter, as to=prec1ude the employan 5 pin and funnel type. I ment of such types of connecters, owing to My long experience in" the development their commercial impracticab-i'lity. f and operation of connecters, such" as above Another essential and important desid= referred" to, and doubtless the experience of eratum in the; construction of connecter's of others versed in this art, has disclosed that the class herein described, is to' overcome the 65 the efficiency of aconnecter' depends pridiflic'ult of coupling failuresencountered as marily upon the proper aligning of the gasan inci ent to the l'odgn'ient and accumula kets of the connecter heads in'coupling and t-io'n of foreign substances upon the gatherthe proper maintaining of the gaskets in ing or inter-guiding elements of the cona'ligned operative engagement after coupling. necter heads and an important featureof my 70 In turn, the effectiveness of the gasket alignpresent improvement resides in so designing ment necessary to obtain a proper connecthe pin and funnel members of my conne tor tion of the fluid conduits of the heads deas to overcome the: defective operations e'nends absolutely upon maintaining predecountered from the above cause; n accomtermined gathering contours or dimensions p'li'shing this particular result, I utilize a '15 of the gathering and centerin members. of special form of centering head for the pin the. coupling elements or heas themselves, member of my connecter, which centering The chief problem involvedin the matter of headis of an oppositely tapered format-ion maintenance. of the predeterminately estabsothat I obtain what]? may characterize as lished gathering contours for the coupling a wedge-in and a: wedge-out formation. 30

, devices" is to compensate for the wear 'incr- The importance of this" particular pointof dent' to' these parts contacting with one anconstruction'is'evide'nt when it is understood other, and operating in contact, in the couthat under practical conditions of service, pling and uncoupling actions thereof. I foreignsuhstanc'es, suchas'snow'andicehave have devised special means as hereinafter a tendency" not only to' interfere withthe 35 disclosedmore fully for'preve ting the wear proper gathering; together or inter-locking upon the coupling elements of the connecter of the coupling" heads of a connecter, but by which the efficiency of the connection of such substances especially incoldweatherfim the fluid. conduits has been interfered with terfere'likewise w-"th the separation or partheretofore, after comparatively short usage ing of the heads in car uncoupling; operago of the coupler. Additionally, the means tions: v f V which- I have provided for this purpose are Not only isthe. centering head of the pin such asto admit of ready and complete'r'emember of myconnecter eculia'rly' cone newal of the engaging or wearing portions structed' for'the purpose outlined above, but of the couplingelementsif at any stage after I utilize: for this part what I may" call a 95 40 long;v and continuous use of my connecter skeleton construction in; that it. is made up there has been such wear upon the contaCtof a series ofwingsrather than a solid body inggathering surfaces as to change even-t0 so that its w'edge-in and wedge-out opthe slightest degree the maintenance of the eratio-nsits centerin v and uncoupling predetermined gathering contour hereinbemovements' are considera lyi facilitated, the 100 fore referred to, and" by whi h the efficiency wing parts of the head having a tendency to the gaskets of the fluid cut, and thus force themselves through any conduits oftheconnecter members is reduced gathered snow and" ice in thefunnel adjacent even to the slightest degree'. The end's'to' be tothe centeringsocket of the'la'tter'. In this accomplished as above noted, I have; 'at'- connection, I have availed myself of the me- 5 tained' through the employment of novel and chanical advantages incident to the employunique renewable centering means fo-rthe ment of a' centering head, the aggregate conin and funnel members of' the connecter, tacting area of which,,for the purposes 0 and I believe that the broad idea of use of its center ngjoperation, is relatively small. such means is new inthis invention. In so In'addition to the primary. features of con- 1 faras Iam aware,.no means whatever have struction already set forth, I have pa heretofore been employed for the purpose especial attention todesigningv the coupling 7 formation of the body 'Of the contacting sequence, the liability of improper alignhead of my connecter so that the means by which I maintain the coupling contour are applied to the head in an exceedingly simple way, and correspondingly are removable with great ease. Furthermore, the general form of the entire, connectermember has been designed with a view to simplifying the manufacturing problems involved in its making, so that the construction is relatively cheap and economical to manufacture. At the same time, a highly rigid and strong of the connectermemher is availed of so that the simplification of the construction has in no way sacrificed these necessary things. lVhile inmost c011- structions heretofore proposed, so far as I am aware, dependence has been placed for;

of the coupling members,

proper connection I upon relatively large areas of contact between the pin member and funnel member parts, in my present construction I have aimed particularly to avoid this thing. Ob-

viously, where the pin member and funnel memberinto which it fits, have contacting portions of a relatively large area, the likelihood ofinterference of foreign matter lodg- ,ing. between said portions, with a complete and proper seating of the parts together is increased in exact proportion to the amount area referred to. Inconment of the gaskets of the fluid conduits I to be aligned, is controlled according to the upon/such area, as i degree of existence ornon-existence of this factor. of the contacting area, and the efciency of the connecter depends thereon for the reasons previously set forth.

Again, it is obvious that where relatively large contacting areas between coupling efficiency of the oint between the coupling members depends t must, ni-cety of the it ting of the contacting portions together is necessary, and requires very considerable machinin of the work in manufacturing b (J? something whichI purposely avoid in the carrying out of my present invention. Ancillary to the foregoing objects, are

,other specific and m'aterialfeatures of con struction designed by me incidental thereto and made clear in the following detailed vdescription, and the accompanying drawings,

in the latter of which: m.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a train pipe connecter embodying the present invention,

the fluid conduits being broken away, and

supporting the connecter be-. ing clearly illustrated.

the method of Figure 2 is a side'elevatio'n of'one of the coupling members alone.

Figure 8 is a front view of the same. Figure 4 is a side elevationlooking at the coupling memberfrom the side opposite that illustrated in Figure is a top plan View, the opposite Figure 5 coupling member The funnel, member 2 threaded rear opening of "10 as shown at 18, and at its rearmost'por- Levvgooz'" extent known types, in so far as the use of certain main elements is concerned. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows at A, a car coupler from which depends a supporting bracket upon which the main, parts is notched at its I port for sliding and universal movement, the coupling member C which, comprises spaced straps or sides engaging the. notched of my connector are hung. The bracket B U wer portion so as to suppart of the bracket B, "At its rear end, the

coupling member tained normally engaged with therear face of the bracket B by a buffer spring 2.. The C embodies a coupling head 3 of'what is known as neltype, and. this head is supported on the .coupiing member C at the middle'port 4; of the head, seen best in Figure 3, and with which port the brake line conduit 5 is connected, the usual signal air, and 'steamfconduits 6 and 7 respectively being adapted to becoupled to the upper and lower ports 8 and'9 respectively of said head. Since my invention resides primarily in the construction of the main coupling head 3, of mounting this head uponthe coupling member C, and the devices for attaching the conduits 5, 6 and 7 to the head, are not material andare not described in detail for this reason, such features being in whole or in part presented in co-pendingapplications of mine, or being known to those versed in this art.

Figures 2 to 5 inclusive of the drawings which I attain the various objects and advantages hereinbefore outlined. The head3 will be seen to comprise the funnel member 10, the middle or port section havingthe ports 4, 8 and 9, previously referred to, formed therein, and the .pin member-11.

is designedly of shallow formation andhas a somewhat oblong contour in front elevation, tapering rearwardly, as shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 5. At its rear extremity, said funnel member 10 is equipped with a socket element l2, consisting of a sleeve, preferablyof steel "or hardened metal of a suitable nature. This socket element 12 is screwed into the the funnel member C has an abutment 1 main the. pin and'funtion the socket member has a many-sided portion for theapplieation of a wrench or other tool whereby the element may be screwed into the funnel member and removed therefrom. At its front end, the socket element 12 is tapered so as to conform with the internal taper or contour of the funnel member 10. The middle section of the coupling head is, of course, an integral part of the funnel member 10, as well as the pin member 11, and the several ports 4, 8 and 9- are superposed in their formation therein.

The pin member 11 constitutes an offstanding horn or arm curved forwardly so as to readily enter the funnel member of a mating head, in the well known manner. One distinctive feature of the pin member 11 is the provision at the forward end of the arm or centering or pilot head 14. The head 14 is peculiarly made in that it comp-rises a forwardly and rearwardly tapering body consisting of a series of ang'ularly extending wings or flanges 14. Again, the head 14 is detachably applied to the body of the pin member, being internally threaded so as to screw upon a threadedstem 15 of said body. Furthermore, or hardened metal, as is the soeketmember 12, the body of the head '3 being preferably of malleable iron.

The funnel member 10 tapers abruptly and is relatively shallow so as to tend to shed, so to speak, any foreign matterlodging thereon.

In .view' of the previous statement of my invention, it is evident that in the cooperation of mating coupling heads 3, the wear in cident to the coupling and uncoupling operations is received principally upon the socket and the centering head 14.

' I am enabled to maintain a predetermined gathering contour or dimension for my connecter. The efficiency of the joint between coupling heads, secured largely by the proper engagement of the mating gaskets of the fluid'conduits, depends upon the cident to the entering of the centering heads of mating coupling heads into the socket elements of such heads. The funnel member 10 so far as its body is concerned, has largely a guiding function to bring'the centering head to the socket element 12 so wear on the funnel member 10 is not material but any wear at the socket element 12, and upon'the head 14, if appreciable, necessarily must interfere with the maintenance of the gather ing contour of the coupling devices. For this reason, I concentrate in my coupling head at the partswhere it is material to prevent wear, or where wear takes place. as a therefore be result of long use, and must eliminated, the hardened operating or bearof the coupling head,-

horn thereof of a this head 14 is made o'f'steelfinal centering action, 111- ing surfaces which are constituted 'by the parts 12 and 14. The capability of these surfaces to resist wear needs no further elucidation in view of the foregoing description, and the readiness with which they may be renewed should the time come that. this may be necessary'after continuous and extremely long usage, is also self-evident.

It will be clear that in entering and passing out of its mating socket member 12, the head 14 possesses the wedge-in and wedgeout act-ion hereinbefore referred to and likewise, a minimum contacting area is provided between the parts 14 and 12 of mating heads, owing to the win ed, ribbed or flange formation of the heat s 14. Nevertheless, there is a complete effective bearing Supplied by the head 14 it's cooperation with the circular zone of the bearing surface of the member 12. This latter feature is something which is necessary and contemplated according to my invention, for I have in mind that the area of con-tact or bearing between each head 14 and each socket member 12, of mating heads 3, shall be ample and sufiicient to resist any tendency of such mating heads 3 to rock one upon the other.

In illustration of this point, Figure 6 may be referred to. The arrow X. upon this figure leads from an edge of the face of the port 4, and said edge mightbe said toconstitute the fulcrum point upon which. mated coupling heads would tend to rock, as when rounding alright hand curve, to the wall of the socket member 12 against which a mating centering head 14 contacts. The curved line Y shows the are which the head 14 would have to describe if relative rocking of mated heads were permitted. As it is impossible, by reason'of the bearing relation of the parts 14 and 12 of mated heads, for the said rocking action to take place, the manner in which these parts cooperate to prevent such rocking' will be clear. In like manner, this action takesplace as regards possible rocking movements of mating headswit-h the top or bottom parts of the heads as fulcrum points.

The ease with which the opposing" heads 14 will enter opposing socket members 12 and force themselves through any gathered snow or ice in the funnels 10, and work similarly in the event of withdrawing or separating action, on account of the rearward tapering of. the heads 14, is especially advantageous, and failures owing to improper cooperation of pin members and funnel members as regards these particular phases of action, are obviated by my invention. In general construction, my coupling head is made very light, relatively speaking, the metal of the construction being distributed so as to afford'a maximum of' rigidity notwithstanding thc lightness aforesaid. In this connection, I point out the use of'strengthenin-g ribs at 16' for the funnel and at 1:7 for the pin member 11, the horn of arm of which is of U-shape in cross section, and therefore very strong. In manufacture, the head 3 necessitates the simple threading of the apex portion of the funnel 10 for the socket member 12, and the threading of the stem or stud 15 for the head 14. The ports 4, 8 and 9 are finished from these surfaces by locating the casting in the machine by a suitable The threading operations are simple drill press operations capable of being economically performed. The centering head learn the socket member 12 are machined by simple turning and threading operations, The faces of the ports 4, 8 and 9 are somewhat in ad- Vance of the funnel member 10 to insure proper contact of such faces of mating heads 3, unprevented by interference from the engagement of cooperating portions of the fun nel and pin members. These contacting faces 4:, 8 and 9 thus provide central bearing surfaces acting in conjunction with the abutment cooperations of the heads 14 and socket members 12 to prevent rocking of one coupler head relatively to the other. The said faces of the ports 4, 8 and 9 are machined, and my construction. of the member 3 permit-s it to be readily molded, the center port 4, the opening in the funnel member 10 and the hollow portion of the head 14 providing their own cores, and the ports 8 and 9 alone having tobe cored in making the heads. In this way I greatly reduce the cost of casting these heads and simplify the construction thereof in important particulars.

It is within the purview of my invention to form the socket element of the funnel member, and the centering head of the pin member integral with said respective parts, and employ some known method of hardening the element and head to create the wear resisting surface for maintaining the gathering contour of the connecter parts.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, is:

1. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling devices, having normally engaging, nonoscillatory, central bearing surfaces, each comprising funnel and pin members at opposite sides of said bearing surfaces, the pin member having a centering head, and the funnel member having a socket element continuing from its body portion and adapted to receive the centering head of a mating pin member, the head and socket element forming the sole bearing of the pin member on the funnel member when coupling members. are coupled, and said bearing being sufficiently extended to counteract any tendency of the coupling members to rock upon one another when coupled.

2. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling devices, each comprising funnel and pin members, the pin member having a centering head of harder metal than its body,

removably connecting the head and socket elements to the p111 and funnel members respectively.

. 3. In a train pipeconnecter, mating coupling devices, having normally engaging central bearing surfaces, and each comprising funnel and pin members at opposite sidesof said bearing surfaces, the pin member having a centering head, and the funnel member having a socket element continuing from its body portion and adapted to receive the centering head of a mating pin member, the head and socket element, forming the sole bearing of the pin member on the funnel member when coupling members are coupled, and said bearing being suflicientlyextended to counteract any tendency of the coupling members .to rock upon one another when coupled, and means removably connecting the head and socket elements to J the pin and funnel members respectively, the head and socket elements being of metal harder than that of the body of the coupling member. I 4;. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling devices, each comprising funnel and pin members, the pinvmember having a centering head at its outer end, and the funnel member having a socket element continuing from its body portion and adapted to receive the centering head of a mating pin member, the head and socket element forming the sole bearing of the pin member on the funnel member when coupling members are coupled, and said bearing being sufficiently extended to counteract any tendency of the couplingmembers to rock upon one another when coupled, and the head being of larger diameter than the body ofthe pin member. 5. In a train pipe connecter, mating cou pling devices, eachcomprising funnel and pin members, the pin member having a centering head, and the funnel member having a socket element continuing from its body portion and adapted to receive the centering head of a mating pin member, and said head comprising flanges for hearing contact on the opposing socket element, and the head being tapered forwardly and rearwardly.

6. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a pin memher and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with an oppositely tapering head for cooperation with an opposing funnel member.

loo

7. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a pin member and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with an oppositely tapering head for cooperation with an opposing funnel member, and the opposing funnel member having a socket element in which said head engages.

8. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a. pin member and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with an oppositely tapering head for cooperation with an opposing funnel member, the head being of greater hardness than the body of the coupling member.

9. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a pin member and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with an oppositely tapering head for cooperation with an; opposing funnel member, the head being of greater hardness than the body of the coupling member, the socket element being likewise of corresponding hardness to that of the head, and the head being adapted to wedgein and wedge-out of its mating socket member in coupling and uncoupling operations.

10. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling devices, each comprising funnel and pin members, the funnel member being provided with a central socket element, and the pin member being formed with a head at its free end portion, said head having a central enlarged portion intermediate its ends adapted to snugly engage the socket element of a mating funnel coupling heads when engaged at their respective pin and socket element portions effectively prevent rocking upon one another, the said head beingof skeleton formation in that it comprises wings extending laterally from one another.

11. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a pin mem-- ber and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with a detachable pilot head to enter the opposing made of harder substance the coupling member.

12. In a tram pipe connecter, mating couthan the body of member whereby the mid section, a pin funnel member, and

each comprising a'pin member and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with a detachable pilot head, and the funnel member having a detachable socket element in which the head is received.

13. In a train pipe connecter, mating coupling members, each comprising a pin member and a funnel member, the pin member being provided with a detachable pilot head,

pling members,

and the funnel member having a detachable,

socket-element in which the head is received, and both the head and socket element being of a substance harder than the bodies of their respective coupling members.

14. As a new article of manufacture, a connecter head comprising a body of relatively soft metal, including gathering members of the pin and funnel type, the pin member having a centering head of relatively hard metal and the funnel member having a centering socket of relatively hard metal, the centering head and the said socket element being detachably applied to the body.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a connecter head for train pipe connecters, comprising a body having a mid section provided with conduit ports, a funnel'member at one side of said mid section, centrally provided with a socket element, a reinforcing rib connecting said funnel member and mid section, a pin member at the side of the mid section opposite that having the funnel member and of U-shape in cross section.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a connecter head for train pipe connecters, comprising a body having a mid section provided with conduit ports, a funnel member at one side of said mid section, centrally provided with a socket element, a reinforcing rib connecting said funnel member and member at the side of the mid section opposite that having the funnel member and of U-shape in cross section, the body of said head being of relatively soft metal and the socket element being of relatively hard metal, the pin member being equipped with a centering head of relatively hard metal.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

